Israeli forces to demolish Beit Hanina house built without permit

JERUSALEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli forces bulldozed a house in the Beit Hanina neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem on Wednesday morning, a relative of the homeowner said.

Israeli bulldozers, escorted by municipality crews and special forces, raided Beit Hanina and demolished a house belonging to Hiba Abu Asab, claiming the house did not have a proper construction permit.

Abu Asab’s mother, Hanaa, said that her daughter had built the two-bedroom house months ago and was planning to move in with her four children next week.

She added that bulldozers demolished the house after destroying the main gate and the wall surrounding the house.

In 2014, Abu Asab had to demolish a previous home in the area after she was told Israeli authorities would deliver a fine for the demolition if undertaken by Israeli forces.

Because of the difficulties obtaining permission from Israeli authorities, Palestinians frequently build without permits at the risk of having the structures demolished.

Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem have been under threat of displacement since the Israeli government enacted a policy of “Judaization” in the area since its occupation in 1967, according to Israeli rights group B’Tselem.

Over 6,000 homes were demolished immediately after the occupation began and four neighborhoods were razed entirely, according to documentation by the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions. The group has documented nearly 50,000 demolitions in the occupied Palestinian territory since.